Reign of Rivalry

Chapter 8

Usually, I am quite entertained when Jax carries out Arius' instructions in the most violent of ways, but I couldn't help but flinch when she knocked the Princess out cold.

As Jax, assisted by Arius' shadows, took our floating captive to the cells under the castle, Arius poured us both a tumbler of whiskey.  He remained silent as we took seats across from each other, which meant he was thinking, examining all the possibilities this could play out. 

Would the Fire King look here for his daughter? Or was the Princess correct in thinking the king would rather cover it all up? Surely, he would be looking for his daughter at some point?

Maybe I should have just left her in the woods.

"You did the right thing," Arius said, clearly reading my thoughts written on my face.

"Did I?" I replied, taking a large swig of liquor. "I might have just started the next war."

"Doubtful," he said, sipping his drink. "Cassius has had plenty of offers for his daughter's hand in marriage, even Leron made an offer to him that would have been a more powerful alliance than one with Lord Dunn."

Leron was the King of the Sky Ranges, and it didn't surprise me he would be keen to strengthen an alliance with the Fire Kingdom. I had fought alongside Leron's armies in battle, most born with magic in the Sky Ranges could fly thanks to their ability to wield air, but their physical strength wasn't much more powerful than a mortal.  Leron himself was stronger, but he was better known for his work in academia and strategy. Aligning himself with a power strong army like the Fire Kingdom was a wise move, had it worked.

"So why try to make a deal with Lord Dunn and Fraser? And why keep it secret?" I asked.

"Because the royal families would have had an issue with Cassius having a leg up when it comes to trade into Amarayus." Arius replied. "He is not exactly the most trustworthy of the rulers."

"I thought that's what they said about us," I joked.

"Perhaps," Was all he said.

"So we believe her, then?" I asked.

Arius grabbed our glasses and poured us another drink before rounding his desk to stare out the window that overlooked part of his territory.

To anyone else, he was the picture of a formidable ruler, overlooking his Kingdom, but to me, he was my oldest friend. We treated each other as brothers, and Jax as a sister.

The Amarayus royals were the most powerful. While the other three territories flaunted their powers, there was not a lot of outside knowledge of the extent of the power those in the Darklands held, and that was the way we liked it. Especially Arius, even those that had seen him in battle hadn't experienced the extent of his power. The other royals saw Arius as a young, perhaps unseasoned ruler, but I knew better, Arius was the most powerful being I had ever encountered. He didn't just control the shadows like most magic born Darklanders could do, like I can do, he could move his shadows inside his enemies, make them see their darkest fears or nothing at all. The shadows also called to him, and he could project his powers far beyond his physical presence. Which is how my spies and I could travel across the land without being detected.

However, Arius preferred to win fights through his cunning rather than using his darker powers. Even before his father had died, Arius had a network of spies and allies across the four territories and lands beyond Amarayus' borders. Anyone else holding that much power would no doubt become corrupt, but Arius loved his people fiercely, and he would sacrifice himself to protect them.

Jax and I would sacrifice ourselves if it meant keeping him safe.

Under his rule, the Darklands had flourished. He had secured trade deals with all three territories which allowed his people to travel, work and live in the Waterways and Sky Ranges. Unlike the other territories, especially the Fire Kingdom, power didn't rule here, but it was respected. Arius had opened several schools to ensure anyone, no matter how much money they had, could learn to use and control their powers.

I knew all too well how dangerous our powers could be if not controlled. In other territories, those born with power were given little choice in life, battle or politics, depending on their family, but Arius refused to demand that kind of service from his people. Funnily enough, it is that freedom Arius had enshrined in our territory that gave the Darklands the fiercest and most loyal army.

It was why I had followed Arius into battle many times and stood by his side as his second in command today.

"There are easier ways to secure access to The Valley. I know she might think it was about Cassius getting a leg up on the trade region, but I think he was getting her out of the way." Arius said, still looking out the window.

"Out the way of what?" I asked.

"All royal children have a claim to the throne, she could have presented a threat to her brother, or Cassius."

I scoffed at that. "There is no way the Fire Territory would bow to a woman."

"They would for the right woman," Arius turned from the window and came to sit back across from me. Crossing a heel over his knee, he sat back in the chair, eyeing me over the rim of his glass. "For now, we keep a close eye on her and keep in touch with your spies. If Cassius does make a move to claim back his daughter, we need to be prepared."

I cocked a brow. "Are you questioning my army's brother?" I accused.

"Should I be?" He retorted.

I leant back into the chair and whipped out my legs, knocking his. "I'll try not to be offended by that." Despite me knocking his feet to the floor, the question in his eyes remained.

"Yes, your royal pain in the ass, should the Fire King want to break hundreds of years of peace and invade the Darklands, he will not make it very far," I argued.

"Good, that means you have plenty of time to ensure our new guest is watched properly until we are sure of her motives," He flashed me a cocky grin.

"You want me to babysit her?" He had to be kidding.

"Don't think of it as babysitting," He shrugged. "Think of it as recon work."

"I don't have a choice here, do I?" I said, running a hand down my face.

Arius just grinned and reached over, clinking his glass to mine. I growled, tossing back the whiskey and pushing myself out of the chair.

"Do make sure Jax doesn't murder her," Arius called as I opened the doors to his office.

"No promises," I tossed back at him.

Arius' jokes eased some of the tension I felt. It was my fault we were in this mess but if this was a trap, there were no forests big or dark enough where I wouldn't hunt her down and make her pay.